Purpose
Why we gather, and what we are reaching toward.
The purpose of life is found in relationship.
The deepest meaning in life is found in our relationships — to the world, to others, to ourselves, and, most importantly, to that which creates relationships: God.
To the degree we relate in synchronicity with that Power that brings everything together — reflecting its way of relating — we enter into the greatest fullness of life possible.
Quality of relationships
No sooner do we satisfy our desires than we look for more. We long for something — we’re not even sure what it is. That’s because what our heart truly longs for is still beyond our current understanding, even our understanding of love. We are created for something beyond, and the only way to get there requires a qualitative change in how we perceive and experience the world.
In other words, we are slowly undergoing transformations in how we relate to the world. We don’t do it; our encounter with the glory of God within all truth, goodness, and beauty, as well as God, is the axis of transformation into the image of God from one degree to another. All that is required of us is to allow it to happen — to fully enter genuine relationships and allow that Power that creates and transforms us to affect all that we are. If we are willing to truly “know” each other and the world, we will continue to qualitatively transform into greater depths of intimacy with each other and God (Matt 25:31–46; 7:21–23).
Nature of relationships
Each one of us is a distinct and unique person, yet we long for connection with other distinct and unique people. This requires a means of relating that creates meaningful connections while maintaining our individuality. The colloquial term is “love,” but what love does is far beyond our current understanding.
In its perfection, it is able to create shared meaning between different and unique persons. This is powerfully displayed when the Spirit first fell upon the Apostles and, as they began to speak in an international setting, everyone else heard them in their own mother tongue. The full power of love — far from being completely in us — creates meaningful connections between us, despite our differences (Acts 2:1–13).
The purpose of Common Ground
To facilitate the ongoing transformation of our ability to relate with and know the world, each other, ourselves, and God (2 Cor 3:18; 1 Cor 15:20–28; Heb 8:10–13).
Common Ground facilitates our growth by drawing us into wonder — into a place where we can more clearly experience the glory of God through presentations that use art and story, discussions about life, and explorations into our faith.